From Dreamer to True Artist: Mr. Sachin Sivakumaran’s Journey as a 3D Artist
In his own way, Mr. Sachin Sivakumaran is an innovator and much like any innovator out there, he subscribes to those who came before him. Mr. Sivakumaran started out a dreamer: sketchpad and a pen in hand when inspiration strikes him. Then the dream became a passion, then the passion, became a craft.
Mr. Sivakumaran trained himself to incorporate something new to an existing pipeline, workflow, and with a known style. In our book, that is what an artist should be: someone who contributes to the craft by innovating even in the smallest of ways.
So today, let’s get to know Mr. Sivakumaran and how he had positioned himself in the 3D industry.
Xeno Creatives (XC): We understand that with just about any craft, passion takes precedence. In your case, how did it start becoming a passion? Would we be right in assuming that you consider it a “calling”?
Sachin Sivakumaran (SS): I think for most people they go in search for something they love and want to pursue it full time but for as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a sketchbook and pen in hand and would draw any chance I get especially when I had a million responsibilities and obligations in life. It was soothing and made me feel safe.
When I was little and I saw the first Jurassic Park movie, I was in utter disbelief as to how they made the dinosaurs look so real. This grew into a curiosity that could not be tamed and I knew I had to pursue something in media to figure out how to make these things for myself.
XC: Was there ever an art piece (digital or otherwise) or artist who served as a catalyst for your involvement in the craft? When did you get involved fully in the 3D industry?
SS: I was heavily into comic books and still am and consider some of the artists there to be my main inspiration that helped me realize this path. Some names I can think of is Alex Ross and Cameron Stewart. I was fully involved in 3D about 4 years ago when I came to Canada to pursue my dreams.
XC: Now that you’re an active part of the industry, would you say you have pegged a solid place in it?
SS: Its hard to say. The industry is an ever changing landscape. There will be new tech, workflows, requirements etc. It is your skill to adapt and create new efficient techniques that will earn anyone a place in the industry. Time = Money
XC: How does your day look like in production?
SS: Currently my tasks cover all aspects of the Modeling, texturing and lookdev stages of the pipeline for characters and assets. So my time is mostly spent in developing the look of the character in 3D within the given timeframes which are often quite short.
XC: What are the common challenges that a 3D artist like you encounters day-in, day-out in a project?
SS: I would say depends on the project I am working on. Oftentimes in my personal work, I try to incorporate at least one new aspect in every piece I make. This make things interesting but also can break previously established workflows. It can be challenging to go deal with these issues but once you figure them out, the relief is amazing! You almost feel a bit smarter
XC: We saw your works online and we must say they are tremendously impressive. Your Fan Art bears great resemblance to the original concepts. And you indeed have an eye for detail. How do you go about creating your pieces? Is there a personal “ritual” that you follow before working?
SS: Firstly, those are some very nice things to say about my work and I really appreciate that! In terms of rituals, there are none, but I do try to create something when I have the desire to do so and not just do it for the sake of it. With my Dishonored piece I was fully captivated by Cedric’s works and I lost track of time with all of them. That feeling is pretty great because you are in the moment and you’re in trance. So I try to make art, when I am inspired or captivated by a piece of work
XC: Do you have favourite pieces among your works? If so, what made them your favorite?
SS: My favorite piece is the “Watched” piece I made a while back. I’m a huge comic book nerd and when I saw the movie, I immediately got to looking at reference and creating it. I had so much fun in making that piece. The best part was that after I had posted it, one of the actors whose face was used in the movies as the watcher had reached out to me through email to let me know how much he loved the artwork. It was a surreal feeling.
XC: What would you consider your biggest or most exciting project to date?
SS: I have a couple projects that I am working on that are bigger that the standalone piece I normally do. The piece I was most excited for was the first “Dishonored” piece I made because I had discovered some tools and workflows that made things look a lot better
XC: If you were to market yourself what would you highlight as your edge?
SS: My selling point would be adaptability. I am not restricted to a type of artstyle or subject and the willingness to learn
XC: If you weren’t a 3D artist today, what would you be working as?
SS: Probably as a painter or literally anything to do with arts. I cant imagine doing anything else
XC: What is your message to other artists especially in these challenging times?
SS: Keep your head up and work your ass off. Don’t be discouraged by less views, likes or engagement. Try to realize why you are here in this industry in the first place and pour your heart into every piece of work you make. It doesn’t matter what he or she says as long as you learned something valuable making that piece of art and it brought you joy, that’s all that matters.
Want to see more of Mr. Sachin Sivakumaran? Click here!
